Thread: looking for something new and unique

I've been in the business of belly dance for ten years, dancing professionally and studying for eight years before that - so almost twenty years in this industry. (started when i was seven).
That said....for a long time, I needed nothing extra, no prop, but my good dancing to land awesome gigs. Now, every second amateur belly dancer has a "thing", something which she always does which defines her. I'm sick of customers telling me, well so and so always does this in her show.
It seems that now everybody needs their signature prop. I don't want to copy any other dancer but my area is highly competitive, especially for the high profile arabic clubs that are in the area, so I feel that i need something extra to land good gigs.
For a while, i tried to use fan veils which i love but i wasn't getting a good response from the mostly arab audience. Most standard shows are intro, taksim followed by saiidi, another taksim followed by a slower baladi flowing into drum solo, then exit.
Another idea is maybe using a signature song that really pulls at an arabic audience's heartstrings. I know you can't go wrong with Om Khalthoum, but if you've danced it once, you've danced it a thousand times. Any suggestions?
So.....I'm looking for something different. Maybe something (prop or song) that is popular in another area but not really done here. I don't want to be like everybody else and their mothers using wings, veil, cane, sword, candle tray.
Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Thanks in advance.

Good dancing is certainly the best draw of all. And since you are dancing at Arabic restaurants, then yes going with Arabic music (classics like Om Kalthoum, maybe modern wonders like Amr Diab and Hakim) will make them happy.
That said, audiences are pretty fickle and do like a good "shtick." I'd stick to a "shtick" that is authentic to the dance and that you can do well. No amount of cool prop can cover up really bad dancing.

Sword is my favorite prop, and audiences love it. I love to watch a dancer do a sword dance...as long as she remembers that she's still dancing.

One I've seen a few times (only a few few) is dancing on glasses (goblets) and antother is dancing on top of a dumbek (Tito of Egypt does this, and in my area, Dunyah of Americanistan does it, and does it well!) It is a crowd-pleaser.

Thanks for the plug, Sabine. I was going to mention dancing on the tabla because that is an Egyptian thing. There is an awesome clip on here somewhere in a thread about dancing on the drum.

There is an article on my website about goblet dancing, on the articles page.

Another way could be to take a common prop (or even veil) and use it in a way that no one has seen before, whether it be to different music, used in a different context, etc. or perhaps developing a concept piece?

What do you love?

Sounds like something more 'authentic' would be best. Keep in mind that none of the great stars in Egypt, past or present, has been famous for any specific prop or trick. (unless Dina's boobs/butt count as a prop? heh heh).

There it's all about the personality. Fifi was the Bint Al Balad and then the Ma'alima. Soheir was the sweet, smiling one. Tahia the elegant serene one. Samia the smiling feminine one. Mona the steamy sensual princess. etc.

So what if you worked on taking your natural stage persona and making it larger-than-life?

Or you could take whatever your strengths are as a dancer and work with that. You could be the dancer with the amazing layered shimmies. Or the dancer with the folkloric knowledge. Or the dancer with the eye-popping spins, or backbends.

Or how about Shamadan or double cane?

Dunyah! Thanks for the great article on goblet dancing. I've only heard of it a couple of times over the years and for some reason it stuck in my head that it was a Persian thing.
This is definitely something to think about. But it would take practice practice practice. I would be so afraid to break the glasses that even at home, I would dare not get on them. I just keep thinking that glasses are not strong enough to hold me. I see from the pictures that they are, but you should see the fear in my eyes as I'm only writing this.
Probably going to buy some sturdy goblets tomorrow though. Just have to wear shoes until I'm sure they're not going to break.
Thanks guys.

Originally Posted by Lauren_

What do you love?

Keep in mind that none of the great stars in Egypt, past or present, has been famous for any specific prop or trick. (unless Dina's boobs/butt count as a prop? heh heh).

There it's all about the personality. Fifi was the Bint Al Balad and then the Ma'alima. Soheir was the sweet, smiling one. Tahia the elegant serene one. Samia the smiling feminine one. Mona the steamy sensual princess. etc.


Or how about Shamadan or double cane?

Shamadan and double cane are already taken.

I've done all the regular props throughout the ages as they have been called for.

I totally see what you mean about personality. That's what made these dancers famous. They had a certain image based on personality in dance. It worked for them and for a long time, it worked for me.

Unfortunately, I am neither the sexy one nor the steamy one. I'm the funny one, the stooge...l;, I never keep my audience at arm's length. I'll joke around with them, maybe if someone is getting overly ambitious, I'll start a little competition, complete with wiping the sweat off my brow. There's a special thing the drummers do for me during a drum solo that's kind of like my thing but I've been doing it for three years. It's getting old.

Another (dis)advantage is i have somewhat of a baby face, so long time customers of mine call me sweet and nice. Don't have Dina's anything, so nothing doing there. I'm just the sweet, nice, funny one. Unfortunately, I'm competing with sexy and sultry. So I need a shtick.

Maybe i should pad my costumes in the rear .w.:and knit my eyebrows a la Dina! Just kidding. She's great.

*high fives you* Dude, being the stooge is MY schtick!! Good thing we don't live in the same market!!

Hey, I've made the goblet's dance my schtick. Although I'm sorta goofy and play to the audience too. I'm going to do it at Rakkasah. It's fun to have a gimmick dance that you can pull out, although I like to think of my personality on stage as being the thing that differentiates me.

Thanks for the article Dunyah! I had read Shelly's and loved it.
I got tempered parfait glasses so I don't worry as much. I completely kicked them out from under me once and really wrenched my back though -- I move them around quite a bit under me by sliding them on masonite. That seems to be a way to make my dance stand out, as I tend to see most glass dancers keep the glasses in one place.

Any prop or personality thing you do though-- I think the "showmanship" aspect is the most important part.

added:
Oh! I didn't realize that that is Messouin from buzz in the Shisha clip! That has always been one of my favorites.

Zills? Did I miss zills as a specialty?

Originally Posted by BELLA_BELLA

Zills? Did I miss zills as a specialty?

Zills are a standard for me. I use them all the time. However in several places, the musicians will have their amps so loud that the zills are inaudible. So, zills are not as effective as they once were and are really standard for a belly dance performance. But I try to use them wherever they are appreciated.

P.S. Can you believe that one restaurant manager told me that zills were annoying to his customers because they go "Bang bang over their dinner. Too much noise." He continued on to say that using zills was not professional and maybe one or two clinks were okay during a show but not more.

P.P.S. After a while, I found out that he had problems with a lot of other dancers to try and pay them less claiming these dancers were "students" when they are really established professional dancers in the community. So altogether a total a**.

Originally Posted by Zobeida

Z

P.S. Can you believe that one restaurant manager told me that zills were annoying to his customers because they go "Bang bang over their dinner. Too much noise." He continued on to say that using zills was not professional and maybe one or two clinks were okay during a show but not more.

yes I can. And he's got a point. There's a big difference in the audio factor between playing zills and listening to them being played. Zills should be played not only with competence but with discretion. I believe it is unprofessional to just hammer away non stop. Zills should be used to complement a performance, not override or dominate it.

Originally Posted by Sabine

Good dancing is certainly the best draw of all.

It certainly is. The finest and most famous dancers are not known for their 'props' but for their personality or persona and the quality of their dancing skills.

I think it's rather a sad sign of the times that a dancer now needs to rely on props to make herself unique or stand out from the crowd. Where will it all end....sword swallowing or wrestling with an oiled pig...

What about some Asmahan schtick? Enter as cleopatra on a throne carried by slaveboys? Enter as snake goddess Wadjet with a GIANT cobra head with red lights in the eyes. etc etc...
The funny stuff you do, interaction with audience, joking with them sounds cool. Can you develop that?
Though I understand that one wants to do new stuff.
Tito does quadruple cane and walks around on a tabla.
Liza Laziza had some saidi drummers follow her around when she danced saidi/cane. That was pretty effectful and really gave an ambience.
Lucy wore a ginourmous shamadan (ok, she could hardly move with it on)
Just thinking here

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

yes I can. And he's got a point. There's a big difference in the audio factor between playing zills and listening to them being played. Zills should be played not only with competence but with discretion. I believe it is unprofessional to just hammer away non stop. Zills should be used to complement a performance, not override or dominate it.

I agree that zills should be played with competence. They are a great accompaniment to the music and should be looked upon as an extra instrument. However, when you are dancing to loud Egyptian pop and have audience participation as a part of your show, as per request, I feel that zills are a great way to grab the audience's attention.

Originally Posted by Zobeida

Unfortunately, I am neither the sexy one nor the steamy one. I'm the funny one, the stooge...l;,

Darling you are also the one with the gorgeous face and beautiful carriage. Take it from someone who looks constipated when she tries to do sexy/steamy.

Nobody really needs props. they are always the icing on the cake. The main thing is you

Originally Posted by _Tanya_

Darling you are also the one with the gorgeous face and beautiful carriage. Take it from someone who looks constipated when she tries to do sexy/steamy.

Tanya...you're the best...
Nothing has made me laugh as hard today as that......l;,..l;,..l;,
That's the same way I feel when I try to do sexy/steamy...maybe not constipated but there is definitely some stomach irritation......

Originally Posted by Zobeida

I've been in the business of belly dance for ten years, dancing professionally and studying for eight years before that - so almost twenty years in this industry. (started when i was seven).
That said....for a long time, I needed nothing extra, no prop, but my good dancing to land awesome gigs. Now, every second amateur belly dancer has a "thing", something which she always does which defines her. I'm sick of customers telling me, well so and so always does this in her show.
It seems that now everybody needs their signature prop. I don't want to copy any other dancer but my area is highly competitive, especially for the high profile arabic clubs that are in the area, so I feel that i need something extra to land good gigs.
For a while, i tried to use fan veils which i love but i wasn't getting a good response from the mostly arab audience. Most standard shows are intro, taksim followed by saiidi, another taksim followed by a slower baladi flowing into drum solo, then exit.
Another idea is maybe using a signature song that really pulls at an arabic audience's heartstrings. I know you can't go wrong with Om Khalthoum, but if you've danced it once, you've danced it a thousand times. Any suggestions?
So.....I'm looking for something different. Maybe something (prop or song) that is popular in another area but not really done here. I don't want to be like everybody else and their mothers using wings, veil, cane, sword, candle tray.
Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Thanks in advance.

That's a shame that good dancing can't stand on it's own anymore. But I've been there. After 20 + years on the stage you have to constantly work on re-inventing yourself to stay new and current. I've done all the props, cane, sword, floorwork, veils, zills, candles. Blah blah blah.

When I got tired of that I abandoned my props and I begged the band to learn new music for me. Oum Khoulsoum was already a standby in my shows so I need something to wake up the crowd. One crowd pleaser song that I had lots of success with was Leila Helwa, it's also on Sami Farag's Dunia Raks CD and Dina danced to it often. The Arab audience loved it.

Another thing I would do, that I often got audience requests for, was to spin and do a turkish drop then go into ayoub. I usually would do this after the drum solo but sometimes I'd throw it in the middle of the show. That move was unique to me as I knew none of the other local dancers could do a turkish drop.

What songs do you typically dance to? Live band or CD?

Originally Posted by Zobeida

I agree that zills should be played with competence. They are a great accompaniment to the music and should be looked upon as an extra instrument. However, when you are dancing to loud Egyptian pop and have audience participation as a part of your show, as per request, I feel that zills are a great way to grab the audience's attention.

It can add a dimension, yes. I used to use them in restaurants all the time at one point. However, I was always aware that it sometimes grated on some people's nerves, so used them with discretion and not all the way through my set.

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

It certainly is. The finest and most famous dancers are not known for their 'props' but for their personality or persona and the quality of their dancing skills.

I think it's rather a sad sign of the times that a dancer now needs to rely on props to make herself unique or stand out from the crowd. Where will it all end....sword swallowing or wrestling with an oiled pig...

Hah! I knew one girl who was simply a disgraceful dancer but she got jobs because she swallowed fire!

Originally Posted by norma

Hah! I knew one girl who was simply a disgraceful dancer but she got jobs because she swallowed fire!

I actually considered that, until I looked into it and found out how extremely hazardous it is -- and I don't mean externally. It actually shortens life span many years, causes cancer, etc. because of the chemicals used.

One thing I have found effective is simply using something in a different way, as was mentioned earlier. Anything you are already comfortable with, such as candles, find some new deal that's all yours.

What I have seen as "signature" and DON'T recommend--dancing on tables and shoving your crotch in patrons' faces, including while wearing a crocheted skirt with nothing under it and you could see everything except the very front where the dancer had a tiny scarf covering her. Eeeeeuuuuuuwwww So much for family entertainment...........

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

yes I can. And he's got a point. There's a big difference in the audio factor between playing zills and listening to them being played. Zills should be played not only with competence but with discretion. I believe it is unprofessional to just hammer away non stop. Zills should be used to complement a performance, not override or dominate it.

Agreed.

If one is dancing in an environment where one leaves a "stage" area and moves amongst the crowd, it is perfectly okay to keep zilling (judiciously) -- just use the "muting feature" that comes standard with all zills.

I actually have to remember to stop playing zills all the way through a fast/moderate piece because I love 'em so much. But stopping and re-starting the zills in places that make sense (ie play them during the chorus, but stop during the verse), and doing little accents here and there, shows an understanding of music that simply banging away at 'em doesn't.

Deborah

Originally Posted by _Tanya_

Darling you are also the one with the gorgeous face and beautiful carriage. Take it from someone who looks constipated when she tries to do sexy/steamy.

First of all, you're both gorgeous and I love you both as dancers and very sweet people. Neither one of you NEED a prop, but you look beautiful using them. Second, Tanya - I just spit tea all over my keyboard. HAhahahahah. You do NOT look constipated, and at least you don't do the "BJ" face. Gotta love wrong second photos.

P.S. I say veil dance hee hee since I know where you get your favorite veils!